Fascinating voyage into a unique man's mind

Rating: 10/10 (27 March 2002)

I finally got a DVD of this film, which never played in theatres here. I was so stunned by its rich characters, atmosphere, emotion and subject, I watched it twice in one night. This film is so intensely beautiful, it hurts. It reminds me in some ways of "The Red Violin," following a piano and pianist through the years. Tim Roth's 1900 has a liquid face that tells us so much before he actually gets to verbalize his feelings about his life. The relationship between 1900 and Max is rich and satisfying. The music is sublime. Others have said there is too much dialogue, but I disagree. The narration is economical and we wait so long for words from 1900, that when they come, you're grateful for every one.
But mostly, the joy for the viewer is exploring the mind of 1900, a man of great depth, a skewed vision of the world and someone unlike anyone most of us ever know. That's why I go to films--to meet unique characters who subtly alter the way we see the world. Roth's performance is outstanding, as are those of every other actor in this film. It's tragic that the film is marred by a really tacky model of the Virginian at sea and a deck set with items never found on the deck of any ship. The interiors, however, are beautiful and the piano, costumes, extra casting and dock areas are all first rate.